The United States Naval Institute

THE GOAL:
Increase the visibility and public support for the United States Naval Institute.

OUR PLAN:

• Expand the Institute's network by connecting its CEO with influential people and organizations.
• Create higher profile visibility in major main stream media for the Institute, showcasing different areas of expertise.
• Identify and develop platforms from which to communicate the Institute's mission.
• Identify and develop opportunities for collaboration with people and organizations who have an established and well recognized public persona.

THE RESULT:
We have initiated relationships with 19 opinion leaders and experts so far, including a high level executive at MTV Networks International, state governor, the founder of an influential political organization and an award-winning author and journalist.

We identified mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration to develop those relationships. Some examples include:

• Arranging for the Institute's CEO to serve as the main source for a NY Times column.
• Arranging for a Medal of Honor recipient/major news analyst to moderate a panel at Defense Forum Washington.
• Invitation to inauguration dinner hosted by major supporter of several philanthropic organizations.
• Conceiving the idea of producing the Wounded Warrior Forum as a road show, taking it to different areas throughout the nation and capitalizing on these relationships to pull in relevant and notable people/organizations in each region thus increasing the event's impact. We have also begun to identify potential sponsors for existing and future Institute conferences and events.

Increasing the Institute's media footprint was critical to the effort. Beyond military circles, the Institute was virtually unknown. Lack of media recognition creates a major challenge for fundraising and strategic networking efforts. We sought placements in major main stream media. Equally important was to nurture relationships with major reporters. We have obtained 12 placements in major mainstream media (including NY Times, BBC, Bloomberg TV and FoxBusiness) plus established and/or reactivated relationships with 5 top national reporters (including The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine) on a number of topics including wounded warriors, Russia/Georgia, pirates and Secretary of Defense Gates.

In an effort to reach out to Americans, military and non-military alike, seeking a better understanding of the national defense issues affecting our nation, we conceived, developed in collaboration with the Institute and launched a weekly radio show entitled Now Hear This.